“The national employer association Ai Group is pleased to announce the appointment of Brent Ferguson as the new Head of National Workplace Relations Policy,” Innes Willox, Chief Executive of the national employer association Ai Group said today.
“Brent succeeds Stephen Smith in this important role leading Ai Group’s team of workplace relations policy and advocacy professionals in representing Ai Group members in workplace relations policy matters. This includes representations to Government and Opposition parties, submissions to numerous inquiries, major cases in the FWC and Courts, and influencing the public debate.
“Brent is a solicitor with around 20 years’ experience. In his current roles as Director – Major Cases, Workplace Relations Advocacy & Policy and as a Legal Practitioner Director at Ai Group Workplace Lawyers, Brent has been involved in a wide range of workplace developments and reforms.
“Brent has appeared in a raft of high-profile Test Cases, complex industrial disputes and major proceedings dealing with the interpretation of the Fair Work Act 2009 and the review and setting of terms of modern awards. This includes involvement in most major proceedings before the Fair Work Commission associated with the 2-year review of modern awards and the long running 4-yearly review of modern awards. He has frequently appeared as the lead advocate representing the interests of Australian industry in such matters.
“He has also been heavily involved in development of legislative and regulatory reform, including representing Ai Group and its members in parliamentary inquiries and engagement with government. He was recently appointed to multiple roles in the roundtable process on IR convened by the former Attorney General and was heavily involved in negotiations with unions and proceedings before the Fair Work Commission regarding the development of key flexibilities introduced in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Over the years Brent has worked with Ai Group members across a broad range of sectors, including Manufacturing, Road Transport, Retail and Social Community Services among others.
“We are grateful for the profound contribution that Stephen Smith has made to Ai Group and our predecessor organisation MTIA over more than 33 years of service, 22 years of which he was head of national workplace relations policy.
“Stephen has been a formidable representative for Ai Group, leading a team for the past 22 years that regularly sets the national policy agenda in a policy area that is key to our members.
“A great deal has happened in the IR field during Steve’s time in the role, including the major pattern bargaining battles of the early 2000s, the WorkChoices legislation, the development of the Fair Work Act and the modern award system, to name just a few. Steve has worked tirelessly in representing members’ interests.
“He and his team have prepared thousands of submissions to governments, the Fair Work Commission and its predecessors and an endless stream of national and state inquiries. It has involved making and preparing countless speeches, presentations and commentary for parliamentary inquiries, member briefings and the media. He has led our team during numerous High Court and Federal Court cases as well as the crucial annual minimum wage cases and has always represented our members’ interests with integrity and passion.
Stephen was chairman of the board of Ai Group Workplace Lawyers from its inception 15 years ago, until recently, and a Legal Practitioner Director of the law firm. As a solicitor, Stephen represented Ai Group members in cases in the High Court, Federal Court and other courts with great success.
“While Stephen has decided to leave Ai Group to pursue other interests, he stresses that he will not be retiring and will remain involved in workplace relations. We wish him well for the future,” Mr Willox said.
The Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations, Tony Burke, paid tribute to Stephen at the Ai Group PIR Conference in Canberra this week. He described Stephen as “A forthright and dedicated advocate for the interests of Ai Group’s members and business more broadly…Stephen has been a stalwart of the workplace relations landscape for many years and I wanted to wish him all the very best for his future endeavours,” Mr Burke said.
The Shadow Minister for Workplace Relations, Senator Michaelia Cash said: “I have had a constructive working relationship with Stephen Smith for many, many years now. He is someone who believes that we can create a better Australia by empowering industry success. He is also someone whom I have found espouses the Ai Group values of always acting with integrity, accountability and fairness,” Senator Cash said.
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